Karotz smart rabbit robot uses Facebook

"What the US needs is a social-network aware robotic rabbit." If you've ever found yourself muttering those words, then the Violet Karotz smart rabbit is probably for you (or maybe medication); the third-gen Nabaztag, a web-connected voice recognition robotic desk rabbit, is finally crossing the Atlantic to the US.

Your money gets you a desk-bound friend that can read out your emails and other messages, tell you the news and weather, track tweets and RSS feeds, and more. There's also Facebook integration, freshly added, which allows Karotz to read out text messages or play received audio files, and allows your friends to twiddle the rabbit's ears and flash its multi-colored lights. You can also use the webcam in the rabbit's nose to post images to Facebook, its microphone to share an audio clip, or dictate a text wall update.

A free Android and iOS remote control app is available, and there's also matching Flatnanoz key ring tags, with embedded RFID chips to trigger apps or macros, such as automatically alerting you when your kids have made it home from school. The Karotz is available now, priced at $129.99.